


baby you look happier, you do

by vlossoms



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band), All Time Low (Band)
Genre: Angst, College, Implied Cheating, M/M, Open Ending, Previous Relationship, Song fic, University, alternative universe, ashton is sad, based on happier by ed sheeran, i just couldn't find somewhere for him, i love calum hood, luke is sad, michael has blue hair, michael is only mentioned - Freeform, previous luke hemmings/ashton irwin, sorry there's also no calum, there is no band
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-12-26 19:39:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12065670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vlossoms/pseuds/vlossoms
Summary: Just as he's about to call out to the taller boy, Ashton watches as his boyfriend of 3 years stumbles into a blue-haired boy's arms and kisses him. If you could call sloppily rubbing mouths together a kiss, but either way. Ashton doesn't understand, he's never seen the boy around before, maybe he's in one of Luke's classes. But why is Luke kissing him?Ashton stares numbly as the boy he loves grins happily at the other man, and he wonders where he went wrong in his life. He thinks about turning and leaving, calling Luke when he gets back home and saying he got held up, that he'll send someone else, but he knows he can't. He loves this boy, and even though his heart is breaking, he wants Luke to be safe.So, with a crack in his voice that Ashton will deny being there for months, he calls out a soft "Luke," watching as the other boy turns towards him and blinks. There's a second delay before Luke is rushing out with an "I'm sorry, fuck, it's not what it looks like, I'm sorry, I love you! I didn't wanna kiss him.."----Basically, Luke loses interest in Ashton, and finds (temporary) happiness with Michael instead.





	baby you look happier, you do

**Author's Note:**

> oh my god, i'm so sorry I've been so inactive, I know I need to update my other fic, I still need to do part two to another, I've just been so overwhelmed with work and my son.
> 
> so please, leave kudos/comments if I should do a sequel to this, maybe focus on ashton and luke rebuilding their relationship? who knows
> 
> anyways, I love you all, stay cute and classy

Shrugging on his winter coat, Ashton grimaces at the idea of walking to the store in this weather. _If you had just stopped on the way home from work, you wouldn't have to go outside,_ Ashton thinks bitterly.

 

Stepping outside into the bitter wind and heavy snowfall, he latches the door to his flat shut behind him, before sighing and heading down the stairs to the road that would no doubt be covered in ice. He frowns as he hears laughter, one that he thinks sounds _familiar_ , but he doesn't know why, and wonders where it's coming from.

 

Ashton gets his answer when he makes his way down the final flight of stairs, living on the third floor really sucks during this time of year, and he sees Luke laughing with a blue-haired boy Ashton has only seen a few times.

 

He notices somewhat belatedly that the taller blonde appears to be just leaving, as he leans in and pulls the blue-haired boy in for a hug that is much too intimate to just be friends. Ashton grumps, and tries not to attract the attention of his no-longer boyfriend, thinking that the blonde looks happier now.

 

Ashton slips down the last few steps thankfully unnoticed and as he walks down the snow-covered sidewalk, freezing his toes off, he thinks back to when Luke left.

 

\--------

 

_Ashton groans as he hears his phone ringing for the fifth time in ten minutes, for fucks sake, he just wants to study. He has a big test coming up in his psych course, and he knows without studying he will fail. He frowns, seeing the caller is Luke, and he wonders why he is calling him now, when the younger blonde is at the bar with friends._

 

_"What is it, babe? You know I'm busy studying, I'm not coming out tonight?" Ashton mumbles, hearing faint giggles in the background, and what is an unmistakably drunk Luke Hemming's talking._

 

_"I need you, Alex and Jack are making out again, and I miss you, and I don't know where I am anymore." Ashton can hear Luke giggling, and he sighs, knowing he has to go get him before he does something stupid like last time._

 

_"Alright babe, where are you? Did you leave the bar?"_

 

_"Just down the street, not sure where though, are you going to stay and drink too, Ashy? Ashley misses you, and was asking where the party was-" Luke rambles on as the older boy pulls his shoes on quickly._

 

_"Alright, okay- I'm leaving now, I'll be there shortly, and no, Luke, I am not staying and drinking. And neither are you. Don't move. I'm on the way now." Ashton grumbles. It's cold out, he should have grabbed a coat. It's October in London, he doesn't know why he left without one. Stupid._

 

 _Ashton walks quickly towards the bar he knows Luke frequents, and as he rounds the corner he smiles, seeing his boyfriend stumble around with his friends. He loves Luke, he's just been so busy with classes and all, and he knows the boy misses him_. I'll take him out, on a proper date _, he thinks as he walks closer._

 

_Just as he's about to call out to the taller boy, Ashton watches as his boyfriend of 3 years stumbles into a blue-haired boy's arms and kisses him. If you could call sloppily rubbing mouths together a kiss, but either way. Ashton doesn't understand, he's never seen the boy around before, maybe he's in one of Luke's classes. But why is Luke kissing him?_

 

_Ashton stares numbly as the boy he loves grins happily at the other man, and he wonders where he went wrong in his life. He thinks about turning and leaving, calling Luke when he gets back home and saying he got held up, that he'll send someone else, but he knows he can't. He loves this boy, and even though his heart is breaking, he wants Luke to be safe._

 

_So, with a crack in his voice that Ashton will deny being there for months, he calls out a soft "Luke," watching as the other boy turns towards him and blinks. There's a second delay before Luke is rushing out with an "I'm sorry, fuck, it's not what it looks like, I'm sorry, I love you! I didn't wanna kiss him.."_

 

_Ashton shakes his head and tilts his head in the direction of the flat they share. He wonders where they will go from here, as he leads Luke back home, hearing him apologize repeatedly._

 

\---------

 

Ashton knows he wasn't the best boyfriend. He knows he should have paid more attention to Luke, could have loved him better. But he never thought that he had slacked enough for the other boy to find happiness with someone else.

 

Hell, Ashton still remembers the week after he asked Luke to leave, very politely he might add, considering he wanted to brain himself, and he saw the blonde with the blue-haired boy, laughing as they walked into the same bar that they met in. Ashton wonders what the boys name is. He doesn't really want to know.

 

\--------

 

Sitting in the corner of his too-empty flat, Ashton starts on his fifth beer of the night. He's not drunk, not yet, but he will be soon if he keeps hammering them back like this. That's the plan, get so drunk he can't hear the party going on two floors below, where Luke and the other boy stay.

 

He's just glad they aren't neighbors, he doesn't think he could handle hearing them fuck.

 

_\----------_

 

Ashton doesn't fail his psych test, but he doesn't do well either. The professor is offering him tutoring hours, but he knows he doesn't need tutoring. He needs Luke out of his head, which seems to be an impossible feat anymore.

 

He sees Luke around campus, hand and hand with the other boy normally, and thinks it's unfair _that he_ is the lonely one, when he loved Luke so hard.

 

He put all of his love and heart into their relationship, tried to make sure the other boy always knew he was loved, and yet, here Ashton is, sat in the cold, empty living room of his flat. All the furniture was Luke's apparently, as the only thing left in the room is the beat up old bookshelf and the television.

 

Where does he go from here?

 

_\---------_

 

Ashton is confused. He is walking across the courtyard to his professors office, when he sees Luke sitting along under the tree by the building. He wonders if he should keep walking, pretend he doesn't notice the defeated slump of the other boy, that he doesn't see him crumbling. But Ashton is too nice for his own good, so he finds himself walking towards Luke instead of towards the office.

 

"You look rough," he blurts, because he's an idiot who isn't good with words. _Smooth, you haven't spoken in months and the first thing you say is 'you look rough?', he's gonna think you're an asshole._

 

Once Luke looks up and Ashton sees the tears on his face, he thinks about how rude he sounds. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I said that, it's just it's been months and-"

 

Ashton knows he's rambling so, he can't say he doesn't expect it when Luke cuts him off with a quiet "It's alright." And, when he doesn't continue, Ashton really knows somethings wrong.

 

"Where is the blue-haired boy you were with? Should I go find him?" _Good, that was good, see, you can be a good person,_ he thinks.

 

Luke mumbles something that Ashton doesn't quite catch, and he feels like an asshole when he asks him to repeat himself, but really, Luke knows that Ashton is as deaf as those cute older ladies they show in hearing aid commercials.

 

"I said, we broke up. Michael left, didn't feel the same he did at the beginning." Luke snaps.

 

And oh, okay, now Ashton feels like a proper dick. He knew he should have gotten to a doctor over his hearing, and he makes a mental note to call his doctor tomorrow. "Fuck, I'm so sorry, I didn't hear you, you know I'm super deaf," he stutters.

 

"I know."

 

Ashton wonders if he should leave the boy alone, because he doesn't seem thrilled to talk to him, when he hears him speak.

 

"I'm so sorry, Ashton, this should have never happened, you should have never been hurt this way, and I'll never forgive myself for breaking you like that," the blonde says as he plucks the grass from the ground.

 

Ashton has heard these words before, the day Luke left, but something sounds different, like he is apologizing because he genuinely cares and not just because he expects Luke to apologize. The other boy seems like he means it, and Ashton can feel himself breaking a little bit.

 

"It's okay, you don't-" Luke cuts him off, and Ashton thinks, _rude_ , until the blonde starts again.

 

"Don't say it's okay, because it isn't, it isn't okay what I did, and you have been so kind through everything, hell, you are here trying to make me feel better after the guy I left you for dumped me. It's not okay, and it never will be, so please, please don't forgive me, because I don't deserve it."

 

By the end of his little outburst, Ashton can see Luke falling apart and he feels so bad, so he can't really explain why he invites the boy to come with him back home. _Just for tea,_ he thinks. _Just so he isn't sat here alone in the cold._

 

And when Luke goes to protest, he smiles, grabbing the boy's hand and pulling him up. "You know I won't take no for an answer, so let's go." Ashton starts walking towards the flat, and ends up pulling Luke because he still hasn't let go of his hand.

 

The two boys seem to realize this at the same time, and when he feels Luke yank his hand away almost violently, Ashton sighs, but thinks to himself, this could be their second chance.

 

This could be a brand new start for the two of them, and Ashton couldn't be happier.


End file.
